Writing a novel containing boat maintenance...

Hey everyone! And thank you for taking the time to view my thread. I am an aspiring maritime author and am writing my first novel, and the main character will be the main crewmate in charge of repair for an antiquarian sloop ship.

My logic is as follows:

This is an antique ship, restored for the purpose of historical tours of the fictional island I have created. It's main purpose is to serve to preserve history and teach people about the ship itself and the island. It will be a key figure in the novel, and will be featured in multiple chapters, so I will need to know not only about repair but how to navigate, and operate this ship.

Considering it is such an old ship, I figured having a team dedicated to keeping the ship repaired and as historically accurate as possible is important (within parameters of course) is this a realistic idea? Where can I learn more about the restoration of antiquarian boats? Any resource recommendations would be helpful.

I have many questions and a great lack of knowledge on all things boats, but have always been fascinated by them and maritime history as a whole, and am know using this fascination to push me further into learning while writing a novel.

I have saved and am going through the boat stuff for beginners thread! In the mean time, I figured i would throw out my more specific questions here:

-Any recommendations where I can read/learn about how to restore and repair large wooden ships? Any first hand accounts of historical ships like this? Museum recommendations are welcome too.

-Sloop ships are designed originally with sails - would this be something that is "retrofitted" for modern uses and capabilities? Is this something boat builders/repairmen would do? Would it be necessary, despite the desire to keep the ship as historically accurate as possible?

-In the real world, what's your estimate of how long would it take for someone to become such a knowledgeable historian and repairman about old wooden boats? College requirements? Can just an enthusiast become someone incredibly knowledgeable about this?

I'm just looking to flesh out this plot more and my goal is to be as historically accurate as I can be, without having to write about real history.

Thank you for any and all input - I welcome suggestions for research to anything I am missing! I have long hours of reading ahead of me and am quite excited about this... the more recommendations the merrier.

I quite like my idea, but I'm gauging to see if it is realistic or not (of course the book is fictional, but I want it to be immersive and not laughably incorrect) and what I can do to help improve the believability. Thanks!

 

Hello @mmillsaps117,
Let me be the first to encourage both your writing and your learning about maritime life.

What initially stands out for me is your use of the terms 'sloop' and 'ship' together. They are not exclusive. Certainly a large ship can be a sloop, but you are probably not intending your ship to be a sloop. A sloop has a single mast with a main sail and a head sail or two+, but they are usually limited in size to medium sized fishing craft such as Friendship Sloops or racing craft, such as the old 'J' boats.

You may be thinking of something more like a square rigged katch or a brig. Maybe a schooner.

The Mystic Maritime Museum would be a great place to start, but you won't find any lack of knowledgeable sailors on here.

Your questions are huge, broad and deep as the sea herself, so be patient and persistent. You'll get there.

-Will

 

Have a look at this:

Dom Fernando II e Glória - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_Fernando_II_e_Gl%C3%B3ria

Dom Fernando II e Glória https://museumships.us/portugal/dom-fernando-ii-e-gloria

 

Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea

A classic written by an author who went to sea as a sailor among the regular crew.

-Will

 

The Internet Archive website has a wealth of information, including books, and Project Gutenberg will have scanned books from earlier times.

Here is the results of one query on Archive.
Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine https://archive.org/search?query=Sailing

 

First thing you need to do is fix the age of the ship. Then you select an appropriate size and type of vessel from the time it was built. The ships general condition at the time the novel starts is another factor. Is it in good shape only needing regular maintenance? Is it half wreck needing extensive rebuilding? Does it have many "modern" alterations wich need to be addressed or changed back to "as built" state? All of this is important because what the crew does is different.
For example: a hull in good condition mostly needs sanding and paint/varnish. Changing a plank or futtock (with all associated works) is a rare occurrence. A late 19th century boat or anything modified later would have wire standing rigging and that needs attention only every decade or so, while natural fibre rigging needs very frequent maintenance. Natural fibre sails need special treatment, for example the boat would hoist the sails in harbor to dry them out.

Your boat has three main areas of concern: hull, deck, propulsion.
The hull (and all superstructures) needs regular painting/varnishing/ oiling with the associated sanding, above the waterline. The older the paint type the more frequent the repainting. Under the waterline you have scraping the growth (yes even with a copper bottom) and antifouling.
The deck is an ongoing concern, it needs daily watering, scrubbing and frequent maintenance to maintain water tightness. Paying the devil occurred enough to spawn a saying, but doesn't mean giving something to a demon, the devil is the coverboard (or the garboard) seam and paying means covering the caulking to protect it. So "the devil to pay and no pitch/tar hot/in sight" has a very specific meaning in the nautical context.
Propulsion means sails and rigging with all the associated paraphernalia, and if present engine(s) and whatever is connected to them. They all have specific ongoing needs based on the materials they are made out of, and the usage.

As to how long it takes to become knowledgeable about all this stuff, it depends. You don't need to actually do it to be able to describe it, so you don't need to go to boatbuilding school. The info is accessible in books, magazines, forums and on youtube. First thing is to read a nautical dictionary so you can understand the language, you will also have to use it later. Watch a bunch of videos about traditional wooden boat building, restauration and operation, you can also experience it in person in places like Mystic and take sunset cruises on old boats. There are a bunch of books about naval carpentry, rigging, etc. a lot of them free. Make an account on the woodenboat forum, read and ask.

But again, first thing select the age, type and size, everything starts there. If this is a vessel from the islands history, where is it located, who inhabited/discovered/colonized it, what was the vessel doing in the islands.

 

Rumors sums up your quest very nicely. I would like to add, an antique ship in a modern world WILL have been modernized, to some extent. She will have electronics and an engine. Ropework will likely have been replaced with modern equivalents over the years and as regulations dictate.

-Will

 

Thank you everyone for your responses & knowledge - lots of things I wouldn't have been able to consider without your help. I will start here. You may see more questions from me eventually but for now I am voyaging into research...

 

What a great read as I recall.
In the time it was written when sailing from NY to California the trips around tip of South America was hard to traverse sometime and after several attempts they would circumnavigate the opposite way around Antarctica.

 

"Before the Mast" refers to bunking in the fo'c'sle (forecastle), where the common sailors slept. Not the most comfortable place to ride, especially rounding the Horn.

-Will

 

A ship that has an extensive history of repairs and maintenance is the USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides. There should be ample documentation of that process from which to glean material for your writing.
Good luck with this project!

Blog - USS Constitution Museum https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/blog/